In focus – Mayfair

Mayfair takes its name from the 15-day spring fair that used to be held there each May. Spanning the area between Oxford Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly and Park Lane, this is the very heart of London. 

Mayfair’s elegant Georgian squares and thoroughfares and beautiful parks make it a very desirable place to live. It also offers some of the London's chicest shops, hotels and restaurants.
More

Lively yet peaceful, stimulating yet relaxing, Mayfair is London at its best.

Getting around

Green Park underground station is on the Piccadilly, Jubilee and Victoria Lines, giving easy access across London.

Buses from Piccadilly go to the City, Victoria, Aldwych and Islington.

Shopping

This is one of London’s retail hotspots, with an enormous variety of goods and price tags on offer:

Oxford Street – the busiest street in Europe, packed with clothes shops and department stores

Regent Street – slighly smarter than Oxford Street but with something on offer for all budgets

Saville Row and Jermyn Street – famous the world over for bespoke tailoring

Bond Street and South Molton Street – high quality shoes, accessories and haute couture

Burlington Arcade – jewellery, art and antiques, all of them vastly expensive.

Going out

The West End’s theatreland is on your doorstep, offering groundbreaking new productions as well as old favourites like Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, which has been running for over 50 years! 

Park Lane is one of the busiest traffic routes in London, but well worth a wander. Lovers of Formula One should make a point of visiting the McLaren showroom, where one of the world’s most expensive racing cars is on display. Then why not take tea at the Dorchester?

Shepherd’s Market, between Piccadilly and Curzon Street was named after Edward Shepherd, who built it in the mid-18th century. Today it’s a pedestrianised enclave of small shops, pubs, restaurants and cafés, reputedly frequented by high-class prostitutes.

There are plentiful options in and around Mayfair for eating out, with an abundance of cuisines on offer from around the world. Try:

• Pescatori on Dover Street for seafood with an Italian twist

• El Pirata on Down Street for authentic Spanish tapas

• or Soho for a wide choice of options with plenty of character.

Green space

Mayfair has huge swathes of green space, with Hyde Park, St James Park and Green Park offering a respite from the whirl of city life. Green Park will soon be aglow with daffodils, making it perfect for a springtime stroll.